1967 Morris Oxford Traveller - off to a new home

So it has been a few weeks since an update. A massive garage tidy up kinda got in the way and delayed progress a little,

But I've got the proper bump-stops in place, and the 1/2NPT banjo fitting for the air spring.
It's tight as a tight thing in this area



Even finding that much clearance took a more than a little die grinder action.
Despite being very careful, and googles all the time - still got some metal in my eye , those carbide burrs are a nightmare 
After casualty went for some retail therapy and got one of these



So with my eyes 100% and the garage tidy, nothing for it but to bolt in the front suspension, and see how it all works.
I left the telescopic shocks off, as I wanted to to do some measurements on full compression/extension, to ensure I don't damage them.
I had no idea how the Jaguar bump-stops would compress until I had them on the car and with some weight on them.



So with the car on the bump-stops - looks great 



So today I hook up the air, to see if it works as expected.... hmmm not exactly.
As the car starts rising off of the bump-stops - massive air leaks become apparent.
Nothing as simple as a fitting, it is from the base of the spring.
Removing the spring and taking it bench. 
A bit of wiggling and this happened - bu66er



My therory is bump-stops aren't set right and allowed the spring to compress to the point of destruction 

The object of this dry-fit was to check the shock travel - I wasn't expecting to muller my springs.

So the bumpstops need moving down 20mm to keep the shock travel happy. I can't afford to do too much destruction testing with air-springs, so I will probably go with 30mm for some extra wiggle room for the air-springs.

A quick sanity check with the lowest ride height now 30mm higher.



Yep that still looks bob-on. Happy with that. Even with that 30mm revision, there is still a very slight nose-down attitude which is good.

New air-springs and disc-brakes will take a little while to sort out, so I'll probably leave it at that for now, and try and get the doors to fit.

Thanks for looking

Doors and getting them to fit correctly can be a painful experience and I have seen many people throw the towel in with frustration - but it's all about being methodical with your approach - has you have demonstrated here - a bit of easing here - then some alteration there along with a little fettling elsewhere and all of a sudden things start to fit - it's not something you can rush but you just need to keep making the adjustments - then standing back and reassessing where you are and what to try next Now Jowett's there another story - the doors never fitted correctly when they left the factory

After digging around at the scuttle/wing tops - it was time to get the grinder out again.
Clean up the inner section, and apply the weld through primer.
Then make up the first of several repair sections.



The next panel goes to the scuttle - which is really thin.
A joddled panel was let into place.
No way I have the skills to get these panels perfect in metal. But these areas are perfect candidates for a skim of filler to make good.



The twisted knot brush made an appearance - not good - inner wing is very tatty and has been bodged with filler and a strip of ali angle - here we go again.



Taking a couple of brave pills, and cut out a section of the wing, and the inner wing.
These are the original wings, and new ones are almost a grand, so worth saving.



Here I've welded in the section for the inner wing. I made this flange a little wider than stock, as my eventual plan is to have the wings bolt on, rather than spot welded.
Farinas often have GRP wings, so I don't foresee a problem.
Also a start on the repair section for the outer wing.



Break out all the clamps and get the finished repair section into place.



Now I could close off the scuttle. I needed some inspiratation so after watching the latest episode of Project Binky, I made this knarly little in-fill piece.



That bracket went in without too much trouble.
But making the section to repair the top of the wing took some concentration.



Whoo-hoo - it is all welded metal now.
A bit of filler to profile, and some sikaflex in the seam, and we should be good.



I'm not particular skilled at this kind of work, I've not done much panel work.
I'm not the most finicky.
I'm not the fastest worker (or the slowest)
But for those interested, there is about 20+ hours garage time in this post !!

Just  as well the other side isn't full of clag.......



Oh wait.....

Bu66er

Hi!
Skills....you have them 8-)You know that....!

And the other side......hmmm....another nightmare-20 hour-job is waiting....

Keep up the good work!

Greet

Another 20 hours - to quote Kylie - I should be so lucky...lucky...lucky

Found an hour today to cover the garage in filler dust, and ground out the other side.

Hmmm - front wing in decent shape, but a previous repair, what could that possible hide ?



The answer is a completely mullered A-post 



When I knocked out some great clumps of clag - I can see the passenger floor pan !!



So the plan has to be

• Windscreen out
• Wing off
• Dashboard out
• Door off
• Fix

But I think the plan is to make up the repair sections for the inner/outer wing flanges, whilst I remember how I did the other side, and continue work on the OS doors, as I've got good access to those in my garage. I'll need to turn the car around to attack that A-pillar.

bugga! at least you know it will be solid by the time you are done.

Glutton indeed 

I think what you are proposing is a vehicle MRI scanner 

That would be scary.

I guess the semi practical alternative is the Chemical dipping you know well.

If I had gone about this project via a complete strip down, and then a dip, I reckon I could have proudly returned home with the bonnet to hang on my garage wall and left Envirostrip to clean the rest of the car out of the bottom of their tank !!

that has to be the equivalent of a butcher advocating vegetableanariasnism!!!

love an old landcruiser , that will keep you out of mischief for a while once you get to it!